ADMIXTURES

ADMIXTURES????
A material other than water, aggregates, hydraulic cement, and fibre reinforcement, used as an ingredient of a cementitious mixture to modify its freshly mixed, setting, or hardened properties and that is added to the batch before or during its mixing Admixtures can be divided in 2 groups that is: a) Chemical admixtures b) Mineral admixtures

Admixtures for concreteAdmixture

Admixtures in liquid form

 Admixtures in solid form

FUNCTION OF ADMIXTURE
To improve workability of fresh concrete To improve durability by entrainment of air To reduce the water required To accelerate setting & hardening & thus to produce high early strength To aid curing To impart water repellent / water proofing property

 To cause dispersion of the cement particles when mixed with water To retard setting To improve wear resistance (hardness) To offset / reduce shrinkage during setting & hardening To cause expansion of concrete and automatic prestressing of steel To aerate mortar / concrete to produce a lightweight product

To impart colour to concrete To offset or reduce some chemical reaction To reduce bleeding To reduce the evolution of heat

Admixtures can be used to modify various fresh and hardened concrete properties :

Fresh state
decrease water content increase workability reduce segregation reduce the rate of slump loss improve pumpability improve placeability & finishability modify the rate of bleeding retard or accelerate setting time

HARDENED STATE
improve frost resistance improve impact & abrasion resistance inhibit expansion due to ASR inhibit corrosion reduce shrinkage cracking reduce permeability produce colored concrete produce cellular concrete

 The chemical admixtures that are used are:

a) Accelerator b) Water reducing Admixture c) Superplasticizer d) Air Entraining Admixtures e) Retarding Admixtures f) Corrosion Inhibitors g) Alkali-Aggregate Reaction Inhibiting Admixtures h) Shrinkage Reducing Admixtures

ACCELARATOR
Added to increase the rate of hydration of concrete mix which then lead to the increases in the rate of development of strength and greater heat evolution.

Why accelerate concrete?

Shorten the setting time Quicker early strength Reduce bleeding Earlier finishing Improved protection against freezing thawing Earlier use of structure Reduction of protection time to achieve a given quality

Calcium Chloride
Very effective & economical accelerator Cautions when using chloride-bearing admixture do not use in prestressed concrete high potential to cause corrosion calcium chloride should not exceed 2% in non reinforced concrete

 calcium chloride should not exceed 1% when concrete contains uncoated aluminum conduit can cause discoloration issues (dark and light gray spots, especially on hard trawled finishes)

WATER REDUCING ADMIXTURE / PLASTICISERS

Used to reduce the amount of water necessary to produce a concrete of a given consistency To increase the slump for a given water content To obtain specified strength at lower cement content Increases workability with faster gain of strength Increase the slump, reduce water content, save cement Disadvantages, it has the risk of corrosion

Water Reducer and Superplasticizers

Admixtures that either increase slump of freshlymixed mortar or concrete without increasing water content ORmaintain slump with a reduced amount of water, the effect being due to factors other than air entrainment

SUPERPLASTICIZER
By adding to a hydraulic binder, gives very high workability and allows a large decrease in water content for a given workability Allows the particles to be more workable where it enable working with low w/c ratio Enhances hydration process, increases strength Eliminate concrete segregation & allow good dispersion of cement particles in water, accelerating the rate of hydration.

 Uniform distribution of cement particles is partly responsible for the highly early strength in concrete made with superplasticizer. Advantages of using Superplasticizers are a) Decreased time to place and finish b) Accelerated curing period c) Early removal of formwork Excessive dosage may render concrete too fluid, causing severe segregation

How do they work ??

Without admixtures with admixtures

Effect of Water Reducer

No Water Reducer (Materials are clinging together)

Water Reducer (disperses materials for better flowability)

Classification
Normal water reducer (decreases the water requirements by about 5 10%)
* Ca or Na salts of lignosulfonic acid * salts of hydroxycarboxylic acids * Carbohydrate

Mid-range water-reducing (decreases the water requirements by about 6 12%) * Complex aqueous solution of lignosulfonates with accelerating admixtures * Polycarboxylate ether with set and strength enhancing ingredients

 Superplasticizer (decreases the water requirements by about 12 -30%) * Sulfonated melamine formaldehyde * Sulfonated naphtalene formaldehyde * Polycarboxylates

AIR ENTRAINING ADMIXTURES

An entraining concrete containing air in a rather special form of a bubble that trapped in concrete Workability improved, increase in slump, easier placing, increased durability, better resistance to frost action Able to reduce segregation tendency and control of bleeding It is necessary to have a careful control of air content and mixing time

 Wetter mixes tend to result in higher air content while mixes rich in sand entrain less air as fine material competes for available waterIf air entrainment is to be used, sand content need to be reduced Bubbles produced by air entrainment are quite different from entrapped air because: They are sealed and wouldn't be filled with water during normal saturation of the concrete They are very small and well distributed.

 Used to increase concrete durability by protecting it against freeze-thaw cycle damage. By entraining air in concrete to form a microscopic air-void system , the expansion is provided a relief valve system. The air void system in the hardened concrete paste allows water to freeze, with the empty air voids providing room for the expansion that occurs as water changes to ice.

Mechanism of air-entraining admixtures

Hydrophillic component Hydrophobic component

Admixtures Schematic representation of air entrainment by surface active molecule

RETARDING ADMIXTURE
Prolong or delay the setting time of cement paste in concrete Used in hot weather to reduce any premature stiffening of the concrete and consequent loss of workability Often carried by ready mixed concrete vehicles to prevent the concrete setting in the drum in the event of brakdown Disadvantage is, it may promote bleeding

CORROSION INHIBITORS
Able to reduce the rate of corrosion to a level that major damage to concrete will be avoided or at least greatly reduced.

ALKALI AGGREGATE REACTION INHIBITING ADMIXTURES

Lithium and Barium salts can reduce the expansion and cracking associated with alkali-silica reaction

SHRINKAGE-REDUCING ADMIXTURES
Able to reduce the amount of shrinkage that occurs as hardened concrete dries.

MINERAL ADMIXTURES
Are natural pozzolanic materials or industrial by-products that are commonly used in concrete to replace part of the cement or sand. Types of mineral admixtures are: a) Fly ash b) Silica Fume c) Blended hydraulic cement